ITR 300zx In-car pics at Rd Atlanta

[T-Rex]

New motor, in still pretty much a new car. Didn't go out for qualifying that morning because it was raining, and I have no rain tires. So started in the back, which was fine.

Car ended up having a diff problem, and oil leak, and a power steering pump that didn't work, so more teething issues to work out, but getting there slowly.

We won't even start on my driving. First time behind the wheel in a year and it showed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTnQQCIVVwU

[Matt93SE]

Car sounds awesome! On the end of the pace lap, I thought you were next to a V8 of some sort.
Get the shifting down and I'm sure the car will be a lot faster...

[spent]

Did you guys build your own engine? Sounds awsome...

[T-Rex]

I had a local engine builder build it.

[Def]

Car does sound like a beast! How much HP is it putting out?

Your gears seem a bit long, which is a killer at RA, but I might offer that staying in a higher gear going into T5 is faster in every car I've tried in on. There is a deceptive amount of grip there, especially on corner entry, so you can really carry some speed in and use the track's camber to help you get it turned, then the higher gear makes the car less sensitive on the exit. Your choice whether to use lots of the "curb" (more like painted island out there!), but it makes it so much easier to turn the car in quick and plant the gas and stabilize the car going up the hill.


It seems like if your gears were like 10-15% shorter you could hold a higher gear and be more in your powerband on over half the corners out there. Thoughts on changing diff ratio?

[T-Rex]

Thanks Def,

The gearing is a 4.6, but actual is 4.4 with the wheel tire combo I'm running. Anything higher at this point would be a custom R&P.

You guys also have to remember a couple of things. One, this car weighs 3120 lbs. That was the first laps on a brand new motor that hadn't turned a lap. I was not pushing it at all, nor interested in pushing the first few laps.

More importantly, I needed to knock the rust off me. That was the first time in a year that I have raced.

I am well aware of Road Atlanta. I have been racing there for twenty years, although I still like to take turn 5 different every lap. You'd think I'd learn.

The fact that the power steering wasn't working didn't help. My arms were rubber by the end of the race.

Not sure on the power yet. I'll dyno and tune this fall. But in general, the car handles well, but you really feel the additional 500lbs compared to the weight of the 240zx.

But plenty of tuning to do, and I think some potential for being competitive.

[Matt93SE]

What's a 240ZX? :P

[Sleepy_Steve]

I think it was the limited edition eXtreme edition of the 240z back in the early 70s?

[T-Rex]

I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you.

[Def]

Thanks Def,

The gearing is a 4.6, but actual is 4.4 with the wheel tire combo I'm running. Anything higher at this point would be a custom R&P.

You guys also have to remember a couple of things. One, this car weighs 3120 lbs. That was the first laps on a brand new motor that hadn't turned a lap. I was not pushing it at all, nor interested in pushing the first few laps.

More importantly, I needed to knock the rust off me. That was the first time in a year that I have raced.

I am well aware of Road Atlanta. I have been racing there for twenty years, although I still like to take turn 5 different every lap. You'd think I'd learn.

The fact that the power steering wasn't working didn't help. My arms were rubber by the end of the race.

Not sure on the power yet. I'll dyno and tune this fall. But in general, the car handles well, but you really feel the additional 500lbs compared to the weight of the 240zx.

But plenty of tuning to do, and I think some potential for being competitive.

Gotcha. I wasn't trying to bag on your driving or anything, but holding a higher gear in T5 was always a consistent improvement in lap times on cars. I have a bit of experience in a 3200 lb stockish E36 M3 and that car loved 4th through T5. Just a suggestion, give it a try sometime, you might like it.

[icantdrift]

I could hear this from the house, wish I would've had time to make it up to watch for a bit.

[Oldtimer]

Curiouse are u using the TTv6 or a v8? If not the TTv6, why not?

[Matt93SE]

He's using the NA V6.
It's what's legal for the class. About the only class the TT is legal is STU and and GT2 or GT1.

[T-Rex]

And,
I am not even sure a twin turbo would be STU legal would It?

Either way, running this motor in either form in STU gets you a weight heavier than the ITR weight and on smaller (width) wheels.

I looked at STU when the rules first came out and decided that the IT rule set was probably a better option. Especially since the minimum weight was dropped to 3120lbs.

Oh and I don't believe you can run the turbo version in GT either.

[Matt93SE]

I swore they were legal for GT1 and maybe GT2, but I just looked again and they only have a spec line for the NA versions w/ carbs and NISMO heads.

with STU, they have an inlet restrictor/weight chart for single turbo engines, but don't list anything for twin turbos. Given all the crap they're allowing in the class on a case-by-case basis, you could probably write the CRB and ask them to create a restrictor/weight chart for TT engines as well.
The IS300, supra, and Z could all use it.